Talented scottish singer/songwriter Elle Exxe jumped into the dance scene with her awesome debut Lie To Me and has already supported Professor Green, MNEK and Jess Glynn. Her catchy electro pop melodies and memorable lyrics have certainly made her one act to watch. Photogroupie caught up with Elle to find out more about her work.
PHOTOGROUPIE: (PG) Hi Elle, how is everything going with the new single launch?
ELLE EXXE (EE): It's going really well. I shot the video a couple of weeks ago and I've been busy editing it. It's nearly ready although it's not coimg out for a little while. It's all looking really positive.
PG: This is your second single, can we expect an album soon?
EE: I'm writing songs for an album at the moment so there will be an album, although there will probably be an EP first. I'm finishing up in the studio and finalising tracklistings, but there's no release date yet.
PG: We've got that to look forward to then.
EE: Yeah!
PG: You get quite involved in the behind the scenes side of things too don't you.
EE: Yes, this video that's coming out for Lost In L.A I produced, directed and edited and at the moment I'm doing special effects on it. I'm fully involved. All the artwork I do too, I'm only just shy of picking up a camera and taking the photos and filming it!
PG: I get the vibe that you're a bit of a perfectionist when you work.
EE: Oh yeah. I get hooked on these ideas that I have and I like to make all the tiny details connect. I like to try and make each thing I do a work of art rather than manufacturing something quickly.
PG: How did you get in to music?
EE: I always knew what I wanted to do from a young age, but I didn't tell anyone. I didn't have singing lessons until I was 17 and then I went to the at Academy of Contempoary Music in Guildford and studied there. I put out an album under my real name when I was 16, so it's always been about writing and releasing. I've always been involved in music.
PG: Do you play any instuments?
EE: I play piano, saxophone a little bit of guitar and I can produce as well.
PG: How did you develop your musical style and image?
EE: I was doing a lot of different types of music in my teens and even up to my 20's – punk, dance, rock. I guess through doing all different styles I found what I like best.
PG: How do you approach songwriting?
EE: Sometimes I have an idea that I've written down but I like going in the studio and start afresh. I'll have a beat and that will lead to a lyric idea. I like it to be free on the day and whatever the world sends me, and that's what comes out on the recording.
PG: Who are your infleunces – I detect a bit of Madonna, Blondie and even Amy Winehouse in there?
EE: Definately! I'm also influenced by Freddie Mercury and Gwen Stefani. Lately I've even been noticing a lot more Eminem influences coming through in my music, which is funny because I've not listened to him in a while.
PG: He's a great poet.
EE: He's an unbelievable lyricist. He's so honest too, he's not scared to say anything. Whether that's right some of the time, that's for everyone else to make up their minds.
PG: It's good to be bold and push boundaries sometimes.
EE: Absolutely, I believe art should force people to ask questions and make up their minds about different things and that's definitely something he does.
PG: This electro pop style is really becoming fashionable again like it was in the 80s – why do you think that is?
EE: I don't really know. I guess with technology advancing you're getting more new synths and producers are enjoying what that can do. The 80s have been having a revival for quite a while, I feel like it's going to switch to the 90s soon. There's so much stuff you can do with electronic music it has to be the way forward. Also with people making less money in the music industry more people are having these home studios and have the electronic side of things to play with. To record a string orchestra or something like that is so expensive and difficult to do well, but it's relitively easy to learn how to produce electronic music; But you still have to have taste and style and the focus to complete something.
PG: Who would you like to work with?
EE: It would be great to work with Jack White. I'd love to work with the guys from Everything Everything. I'd like to try and create something with them, I'd be excited to see what they'd come up with.
We'd like to see that too, and we can't wait for the album!
Lost In L.A is released on June 22nd
WWW.ELLEEXXE.COM
https://soundcloud.com/elleexxe